Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide

"This book is superb it explains the entire process of writing a literature review very clearly. It covers everything from why literature reviews are important to how to present the review. It is easy to read and very clearly laid out. It is a step by step guide to writing a review which is extremely helpful as the prospect of reviewing literature can be quite daunting. This book has been an extremely useful text whilst studying for my degree and I would have no problems recommending it to anyone ... I would recommend this book to anyone who is about to embark on writing a literature review as it will make the whole process much less daunting.
Vicky Bain, Student Nurse, University of Nottingham, UK

"Many lecturers will be familiar with the concern of students trying to clarify what is meant by a literature review: this book does just that... The book has a logical flow but can also be dipped in and out of, dependent on the style of literature review to be undertaken. It is clearly laid out and easy to follow, and the sections are clearly defined... There is a useful glossary defining common terms. I would recommend this book."
British Journal of Occupational Therapy

"A comprehensive, easy to read guide which will help students to understand how to undertake a literature review, and how to use the resultant information effectively."
Anne-Marie Warnes, University of Central Lancashire

"A very useful little book that answers all the questions that students ask."
Irene Mabbott

"A good step-by-step guide on how to produce a comprehensive piece of work."
Simone Bedford, Swansea University

"This is a very useful, sensible and well organised piece of work and students will benefit from it enormously."
Peter Jones, London South Bank University

• Why do a literature review?
• What literature is relevant to my review?
• How do I appraise my findings?
• How do I present my literature review?

This book is a step-by-step guide to doing a literature review in health and social care. It is crucial reading for all those undertaking their undergraduate or postgraduate dissertation or any research module which involves a literature review. This student-friendly book:

• Simplifies the complex process of systematically reviewing published literature
• Provides a guide to searching, appraising and comparing literature to address a research question

Beginning with a discussion of the difference between a systematic and narrative review, you are then advised how to conduct a literature review, starting with defining the question, followed by strategies for searching the literature and emphasising the key elements that need to be considered when reviewing each kind of study. Throughout the book, there are practical tips on how to write up a literature review.

Doing a Literature Review is essential reading for all undergraduate students who are writing a literature based dissertation within the health and social care field, or as an introductory text for postgraduate study. It is also a useful text for those who are new to reviewing and appraising literature in the search for answers to questions that arise in practice.